


may the bridges i have burned light the way back home

by meetingmadness



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst with a Happy Ending, Brett Talbot & Lori Talbot Live, Brett Talbot Lives, But Eventually It Gets Better, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Getting Together, Good Theo Raeken, Implied/Referenced Suicide attempt, Implied/Referenced Torture, Liam Dunbar is Theo Raeken's Anchor, M/M, Oblivious Scott, Pack Dynamics, Past Torture, Post-Canon, Post-Finale, Protective Liam, Puppy Pack, Redemption, Sad Theo Raeken, Theo Raeken Has Feelings, Theo Raeken Has Issues, Theo Raeken Has Nightmares, Theo Raeken is Liam Dunbar's Anchor, Theo Raeken's Past, Theo Raeken's shitty childhood, because I said so, growing up with the dread doctors was not as fun as it sounds, happy endings because I say so
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 14:40:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19477999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meetingmadness/pseuds/meetingmadness
Summary: Theo never said much about growing up with the Dread Doctors. However, off-handed comments occasionally slipped through the cracks when he thought no one was paying attention. Liam didn't mean to start keeping a list, but in the back of his head, he knew it'd come in handy some day, he just wasn't sure how. All he knew was the person Theo pretended to be was very different than who he really was. Liam just wanted the others to see the guy too.Over the course of the year, Liam and Theo grew unimaginably close. The others, however, kept him at arms length despite his countless attempts to make up for all he's doneLiam decides to host an intervention when Theo isn't invited to the one year celebration of winning the war. If Liam must sit everyone down and force them through a PowerPoint presentation titled, "Theo Raeken's shitty childhood" to get them so see Theo the way he does...then so be itor the one where I shove all my head cannons about Theo's childhood into a getting together thiam fic





	1. treat all reformed murders equally or so help me

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written fan fic in a hot minute, but my book (the real life one) is in it's final stages of drafting, and I need to write something or I'm gonna go insane
> 
> I've binged teen wolf, and Theo (unsurprisingly) is my new problematic fav  
> I was thinking out the logistics of how Theo must have grown up and I came to some really sad conclusions that lead Theo to be the way he is 
> 
> that plus my love of thiam created this fic; it is equal parts humor, angst, and Theo and Liam falling in love so I really hope you enjoy! 
> 
> feel free to leave a comment if you liked it or have your own head cannons on how Theo grew up with the dread doctors!!!

To be completely honest, Liam never meant to hang around Theo after the hunter showdown. He was just an ally, not part of the pack right? However, Theo had a way of wedging himself into Liam's life. It started with one measly text. How could one text turn into...this? One text to Theo asking for help on his AP Bio homework, and suddenly, not only did Theo live in his spare bedroom, his parents have borderline adopted him, and Theo was in nearly every aspect of his life. 

Liam didn’t think such an innocent question would shape the way he looked at Theo Raeken. Before, there’d always be some lingering anger at him for all he's done. That anger, an emotion he's the most familiar with, morphed into a form of pity. Pity wasn’t something Liam knew how to deal with, but Theo made it easy to feel bad for the guy. At first, Liam thought Theo could be playing with his emotions—he really didn’t have a justifiable reason why he would do such a thing, but it was easier to explain than Theo was being genuine with him. 

_Hey, do u know about punnet squares? I haven't done bio since freshman year, and I don’t remember any of it,_ the text had read. 

Theo—cautious as ever—called him immediately and pestered him for more information. _Are you actually asking for help on your homework at three in the morning? Isn't there someone else you can bother for homework help?_

Liam had sputtered over the phone, and all Theo did was sigh. _Whatever, Theo. I'll call Scott or Lydia about it before school. I just thought you'd know what that is._

Theo's indignant huff almost made Liam smile. _I grew up around a three-hundred-year-old doctor known as the Geneticist; you think I could get away with not knowing what punnet squares are?_

That one little comment hung with him after Theo agreed to help him study for his Bio test on Friday. What did "get away with" mean? Was he just around science all day long and accidently picked it up or was it something more sinister? 

Liam tried not to think about it. However, studying with him brought up more questions. He took one fleeting glance at his review sheet, and Theo knew exactly what he was talking about. Without even looking at any of his reference materials, Theo sketched nearly perfect DNA structures and molecules on the back of the scratch paper and drew up easy to understand examples of punnet squares. It irked Liam that Theo could get him to understand the material better than his teacher, his textbook, YouTube, or even Mason. He made it sound so simple, and suddenly, his review made sense for the first time in weeks. 

Theo seemed to be and endless vat of knowledge when it came to science; there wasn’t a question Liam asked that Theo didn’t have an answer to. Liam didn’t even show his vocab words, but out of pure curiosity, he asked Theo what one of his words meant. His answer was not only right, but Theo explained it in more depth than his teacher had taught it. 

Liam knew Theo was smarter than he let on. There was a reason Theo was able to nearly deceive anyone and everyone for weeks. But some of the topics Theo touched on were things Liam's textbook didn’t even mention. 

As he walked Theo back to his truck that night, he couldn’t help but ask, _Theo, how did you have all that shit memorized? I thought you didn't even finish a semester of high school?_

Climbing in to the driver's seat, Theo made an off-handed comment, a sort of blink and you'll miss it type thing, and Liam couldn't stop replaying his words over and over. 

_Plenty of practice. And punishment._

Liam knew he wasn't supposed hear that last part, but his words hung with him as Theo drove off into the night, a sense of dread settling in his stomach. What did that mean? Liam always assumed Theo's time with the Dread Doctors was willingly. That two-word statement made him wonder if he was wrong. 

Over the course of the year, his whole world view of the one and only Theo Raeken got turned on its head. Through little tid bits of information he managed to collect when Theo thought he wasn’t paying attention, a story—a very sad and depressing story—begun to craft itself inside Liam's head. 

Liam was pretty sure he was the only one who noticed. So, in spite almost, he started a list. He never thought he'd have to talk about the list—it was only a record, not something he thought he'd have to use. But even after a whole year of constantly saving and protecting Scott and his pack, they still didn’t accept him, not fully. Liam liked to say that he had a grip on his anger—how Theo became his anchor, he'd never know, nor would he care to share with the class—but when he heard Theo wasn’t invited to celebrate the one-year anniversary of defeating Monroe, Liam punched a hole through his locker. 

Scott raised a brow. "Liam, buddy, you okay?" 

Liam glowered at him. "Why can't Theo come? He helped beat Monroe too." 

If Scott's face full of surprise was anything to go by, he wasn’t expecting Liam to argue about the guest list. "You want him there? I thought you two were barely even friends." 

Barely friends? Theo was his anchor, his confidant, his protector, hell, his housemate at the very least. The stupid self-sacrificing idiot would literally jump in front a bullet for him and has actually done so on at least three occasions. Liam and Theo were so much more than friends at this point, Liam didn’t even have a word to define their relationship. Mason was his best friend, but Theo? There wasn’t a word that existed that describe how exactly he felt about him. Not even Hayden invoked such strong feelings from him—be that anger, possessiveness, or sympathy. Liam didn’t have the vocabulary to explain to the others how he felt towards Theo. All he knew, that whatever it was he felt for Theo Raeken, it was strong. 

"I thought I told you, he lives in my guest bedroom now. He's actually not that bad when you get to know him." 

Scott's features downturned. "He's living with you? Are you sure that's safe?" 

In the back of his mind, he could hear Theo telling him, _He's just being protective. Punching him won't make Scott stop looking out for you._

Slowly, Liam uncurled his clenched fist. Theo was right. He managed to take a breath before saying, "Theo's saved us more times than I can count. He'd never hurt me." 

Scott's apprehension didn't falter. "Did you forget all the things he's done?" 

Like Liam could forget with everyone reminding him all the time. "He's changed now, and you know that. If Theo can't come for all the terrible things he's done, then why can Nolan come?" 

The way the pack treated Nolan and Peter really grinded his gears. Nolan tried to kill them, and well, Peter not only created the idea of the dead pool that nearly got them all murdered over and over again, but he was an actual mass-murdering psychopath in a V-neck. Liam didn’t understand why Peter—the guy who betrayed them on multiple occasions like he was the Beacon Hills version of _Loki_ and got Scott turned into a berserker so they'd kill him—got a free pass while Theo was still paying. Peter wasn't kidnapped, manipulated, and experimented on by immortal nutjobs like Theo was. His first mindless stint as an Alpha aside, he did what he did out his complete free will. Why was Liam the only one to see how ridiculously unfair this was? 

It wasn't like Liam hated Peter. Mildly annoyed by him, yes, absolutely, but he definitely didn’t hate him. Peter was Peter, but besides the random comment from Derek when he was in town to keep him in line, no one brought up what he'd done before. Liam also really liked Nolan too. They were still co-captains and got along really well. Liam, Mason, Corey, Nolan, Lori, and Brett (Somehow, Brett and Lori got brought back from the dead, and no one really knows how. Liam is ninety-nine percent sure Theo had something to do with their reanimation because Brett, Lori, and Theo were as thick as thieves once they came out of hiding) were all very close, the 'puppy pack' as Stiles put it. But still, it didn’t matter how good Nolan was Halo, Liam couldn’t forget what he'd done, even when everyone else did. Liam wanted everyone to be equal, not just the select few who got special treatment. He wished the others felt the same way. 

Scott let out a resigned sigh. "You know damn well why it's not the same. Nolan was just a scared kid. Monroe was going to kill him if he didn’t comply." 

Liam punched the locker again, surprising both Scott and himself. "And you think Theo was any different? You know the doctors terminated failures. If Theo screwed up, they'd kill him. He didn’t join up a group of immortal psychopaths just for shits and giggles you know." 

Scott took a hesitant step back at Liam's outburst. "Liam..." 

"No." Liam took a deep breath and imagined Theo putting his hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "If Theo can't come, I'm not going. He fought with us, and he deserves to celebrate with us." 

Scott's expression softened. "You aren't budging on this are you?" 

"Nope," Liam confirmed, popping the p. 

Scott was quiet before saying, "Did Theo really say that they'd kill him if he didn’t comply? I mean, you believe that?" 

There was no hesitation when he replied, "You know he screams in his sleep right?" 

That caught Scott off guard. "What?" 

"Yeah," Liam pressed, not backing down. "In the middle of the night, I'll wake up to him screaming that he's not a failure, that he'll do better next time. Some nights it gets so bad, I have to draw blood to pull him out of his nightmares. If he's not screaming, he usually tries to claw a hole in his chest. He makes himself bleed so often, he doesn't sleep with covers because my mom keeps having to wash the blood out of them." 

Scott's face full of instant regret only made Liam continue his tirade. "He would never admit it either. He feels too guilty to ask for help, and you know what? He thinks he deserves to be in pain for the rest of his life. Since he won't stand up for himself, I will. So, yes, Scott. I believe him. And I'm not going without him." 

Scott didn’t bother chasing him out of the boy's locker room. It was a good thing too; Liam had no doubt that he'd probably punch Scott if he tried. The amount of times he's nearly decked Stiles for his comments about Theo was becoming ridiculous. He didn't know why all the insults got under his skin—they weren't even about him. Theo was there for him this year, even when he was difficult, even when Theo should've left town months ago. Deep down, he felt like he owed it to Theo to get everyone to see him like he does. 

Slowly, a plan begun to form in his head (Theo's, well, Theo-ness, was rubbing off on him). None of them understood why Theo was the way he was, the things that shaped him to be who he was today. Liam swore to himself that before the rest of the pack left for college, they would. 

The list Liam kept hidden in his bedside drawer suddenly felt more important that it was a second ago.


	2. A case of mistaken identity: oxygen or feeding tube?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for the lovely reception of the first chapter! all theses comments makes my heart do jumping jacks
> 
> just a warning for this chapter: there is a dead body that they examine in the animal clinic (I wrote like they do for they show, nothing graphic, no meaty descriptions of blood or gore; I tried to keep things as general and clinical as possible.) there is also a brief mention of a feeding tube, again, just that a character had one, nothing gross or gratuitous. I also use the f-word once towards the very end of the chapter, so if that bothers you, here is your heads up. there is a mention of torture (although, if you are a fan of the show, I suppose you might be used to seeing on screen violence such as torture, but here is a warning nevertheless). 
> 
> the next chapter will be much more light hearted and play to the kinder side of things
> 
> I also do not have a beta reader, and while my college English teacher drilled grammar into my head with a metal baseball bat, I do slip up and make errors sometimes (don't we all?). I edit as I go, so if you re-read and notice an error is no longer there, I swear it's not your imagination :) 
> 
> thank you again, and enjoy!

_Plenty of practice. And punishment._

That was the beginning of the list. The phrase that started this all still sat at the top of his bullet points, still creating that pool of dread in his gut. Liam figured that’d be a good place to start with the PowerPoint. It was easy to explain to the others. 

_Theo was mad good at biology, so you know, I asked him why, and he said this. Makes you wonder about what his childhood was really like, right?_

Easy enough.

Some of the others were fairly simple, so he rearranged the list to sprinkle some of the easy ones in the middle. There was a lot of new information they’re going to have to intake in a very short amount of time, and to get, as Theo would put it, maximum accuracy, he needed to put in some normalish stories so the weird ones hit home harder.

Liam, also, didn’t not want to think about how he knows what’s going to be a bigger emotional impact or why he can tell that he needs to organize this PowerPoint to actually be effective in achieving his goal. A knowing voice in Liam’s head told him that this was definitely Theo’s influence on him. After the whole ‘I was trained in the art of manipulation when I was twelve by a group of archaic witches’ ordeal, (a story that will one hundred percent go on the PowerPoint too) Theo liked to give impromptu lessons on how to, as he put it, choose your words wisely. He never meant to teach Liam how to manipulate people, but Liam was so bad at blackmail, Theo got frustrated and corrected him on the proper way to get people to do what he wanted.

Maybe Mason wasn’t overreacting when he said Theo was really rubbing off on him after all.

But then again, Theo being Theo was what paved the way for the next bullet point on his list: the feeding tube.

That day had actually started out pretty normal, in retrospect.

Liam’s house had become ground zero for hangouts with Scott gone. Nearly everyone was over playing a knockoff of BlackOps Two, each of them lounging their retrospective pre-claimed spots around Liam’s basement. Corey and Mason held absolutely no shame in hogging the couch, much to everyone’s annoyance. Liam, not letting anyone else take the second best spot in the place in a attempt to save his last shred of dignity left, commandeered the armchair as his own personal Iron Throne. It was a ten year old leather recliner, but hell if he was going to let anyone take it from him. This was still his house, damnitt. If he couldn’t have a space on his own wonderful, soft, and luxurious couch, then he damn well better have the recliner.

Once Brett, that obnoxiously good looking asshole, learned the hard way it wasn’t worth it to fight him for the recliner, settled for the loveseat with Nolan (you would think that Corey and Mason would want the loveseat to themselves, but noooo. They _had_ to have the big couch).

Since this was one of the few rare occasions he could convince Theo to hangout with them, he begrudgingly sat at Liam’s feet on the edge of the carpet. Liam wanted to ask why he never pulled up a chair from the table behind the couch, but he knew Theo would just deflect. And if Liam noticed that Theo was sitting closest to the back exit in case he need to make a run for it, but yet a perfect spot to observe everyone, he definitely didn’t say anything about it.

Liam’s television cast a reflection on everyone in the dimly lit basement. Even with the sound turned down, simulated gunfire popped every few seconds, scaring his cat away (another thing: ever since getting bitten by Scott, his once beloved cat now loathed him. For what ever reason, the only person Fluffles—he was ten okay, don’t judge—would associate with was Theo. She was all over him when he was at the house, and he took great pride in annoying the hell out of Liam with that fact).

Liam, Brett, Corey, and Theo may have supernatural reflexes, but Nolan was freakishly good at first person shooter games. Theo once made a sad observation that Nolan didn’t have a lot of friends before he found them and probably played video games a lot to fill the time void in his life (Liam knew he was undoubtedly right, but it was still rude to say).

When Nolan killed him for the twelfth time that day, Liam was ready to smash his controller into tiny pieces. It was just down to Nolan and Theo. The two got along too well sometimes; Liam was convinced that Theo saw a part of himself in Nolan, and that’s why they were so buddy-buddy now. Why it irked Liam they were good friends, he didn’t really know.

The two jokingly traded insults back and forth as they chased the other around the screen.

_Come on, I thought you were a hunter, Nolan; you gonna find me or what?_

_Now you’re asking for it, Raeken!_

They chased each other around for another few minutes until suddenly, Nolan goes down via head shot, and Theo’s character stood center screen, the words ‘victory’ flashing in bold around his avatar.

“What the hell? How’d you kill me?” Nolan grumbled, watching the playback begrudgingly with his hands in the air.

Liam couldn’t fight the small smile on his lips. See, Nolan was really, really good at this game. However, it was inevitable that Theo would win. While Nolan had accuracy and quick reflexes, Theo put his battle strategy skills to work (the mystery of why Theo was an such an excellent strategist was another bullet point on his list that would reveal itself later in the year).

Theo’s smirk spoke for itself. “A magician never reveals his secrets.”

Nolan grumbled something unintelligible, but settled for, “One more round.”

Before Theo could restart the game, his cellphone rang. Cautiously, he set his controller down on the carpet and glanced at the caller ID.

“It’s...Deaton.” Why would Deaton be calling Theo of all people?

Hesitatingly, he put the phone to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Hello Mr. Raeken. Would you by any chance have have the time to stop by the clinic? There’s something that could use your...expertise.”

Mason and Liam exchanged a knowing glance. If Theo was getting called in to help, then something was seriously up.

“I’m on my way.” The line cut out, and Theo click his phone off.

When he looked up to find them staring at him, he repressed a sigh. “I’m guessing you’re all coming with me whether I like it or not?”

Brett stood up from the love seat and clapped him on the back. “You know it.”

They piled into Theo’s truck, Nolan and Brett in the back, Liam in the front. Why he got some sort of satisfaction from being the only person Theo let ride shotgun when the car was full, Liam would never know. But damn, did it feel good when Brett had to shove his long ass legs in the back of the truck, squishing his knees against the back of Liam’s seat. If Nolan wasn’t in the truck, Liam had no doubt Brett would be digging his knees into his seat with a childish grin. All Nolan had to do was shoot Brett a glare, and he’d stop whatever childish thing he was doing to get a rise out of Liam. When they were younger, it was malicious, but this was playful—annoying as hell, sure, but not to actually mean-spirited.

Mason and Corey, being the rational ones of the group, didn’t feel like sandwiching four people in Theo’s already cramped backseat and met them at the clinic in Mason’s car.

If Deaton was surprised that Theo brought along an entourage to the clinic, he didn’t say anything.

On the exam table was a dead body (not that the sight was something unfamiliar to Liam). Forming a ring around the body, no one could divert their eyes from the open chest cavity full of clear, rubber tubes.

Deaton put a fist to his mouth. “As you have probably noticed, this is not normal homicide victim.” He turned to Theo, who was busy inspecting the body with a detached, introspective side-eye. “I have my own assumptions, but I was hoping you could provide some insight on what happened to this man.”

Theo nodded, talking a step closer to the exam table. He narrowed his eyes and decisively picked up a scalpel. Mason and Corey instinctively took a step back, but Liam forced himself to remain calm. _Theo wasn’t going to hurt them,_ he reminded himself.

Ignoring the skeptical glances the rest of the group shared, Theo examined the exposed chest, taking a mental note of the tubes and wires sticking out from various organs. It reminded Liam all too well of what happened to Corey when he got turned into a human PA system by the Wild Hunt.

Brett wrinkled his nose when Theo traced a clear tube back the to liver. Liam, almost out of habit now, nearly recited the functions of the liver and gallbladder out the whole room. Theo was still helping him in AP Bio, (his teacher thought he was cheating when his grades shot up, and he had to explain that his ‘already graduated’ friend was tutoring him. When she found out it was Theo—curse Mason’s talkative nature—she recalled him being a straight A student, and congratulated him on getting such a good teacher) and constantly quizzed him on random Biology topics. He was so used to Theo’s constant and random pop quizzes that his actual tests in class were frustratingly easy. Liam still couldn’t tell if Theo tutoring him was a good or bad thing yet, but it meant Liam’s mother now invited Theo over for dinner every Thursday to thank him for getting Liam’s grades up. At least Theo already took him through the human body unit, so he didn’t have to ask as many questions when staring down at the mangled chest cavity.

Theo almost went to make an incision into the liver, but paused last minute. “I’m going to go out on a limb here and say this was one of Monroe’s victims?”

Liam did his best to control the white hot flash of hatred that burned in his chest. God, did he hate that woman.

“Sadly, yes. It seems she has moved from straight murder to experimentation as a means of torture. The cause of death is still undetermined. I assume it was by asphyxiation, considering the marks along his throat.”

Sure enough, finger sized bruises danced along his jaw and neck. It seemed like a solid theory to Liam, but Theo shook his head.

“I don’t think so. The marks aren’t dark enough to be consistent with the amount of force necessary to crush a werewolf’s windpipe without it immediately healing.”

Nolan nodded in agreement, as if they had gone over how much pressure you needed to strangle a werewolf in Monroe’s _death to supernaturals_ after-school program.

Deaton raised an eyebrow. “I’m guessing you have your own theory then?”

He nodded, pointing to a mangled, probably slashed by a claw, tube sticking out of his nasal cavity with the tip of the blade. “I’m betting what ever was pumped through this tube killed him.”

Nolan made a face. “Why would you say that? There’s like, ten tubes inside his body, why is this one important?”

Theo, hands as steady as his step dad in surgery, made two incisions in the liver. His neutral expression soured. Liam couldn’t see anything wrong with the tissue surrounding the cuts, but it certainly meant something to Theo. 

Deaton frowned, leaning forward to examine the cuts for himself. “Based off this oxygen tube in his nose, he must have been submerging in something. There was traces of wolfsbane in his system, but not nearly enough to kill him.”

Theo shook his head, his usual cocky manor hidden under his mask of control. “It’s not an oxygen tube.”

Even Mason eyed him with skepticism. “Look, all my doctoral expertise comes from House MD, but that looks like a oxygen tube to me.”

“I’m going to have to agree with Mr. Hewitt. Perhaps it was used to keep him under when they inserted the other tubes.”

Theo was not happy with that response, and he pointedly set down the scalpel, making Corey relax a hair. “You’re wrong.”

“Theo,” Liam chided, glaring at him from across the table.

Deaton didn’t seem to mind Theo’s disagreement. “And why do you say that?”

He shrugged, back to his flippant, controlled detachment. “Monroe wouldn’t put him under to put those tubes in.”

Brett, talking note of how on edge Theo was, cautiously brought up, “Wouldn’t it be way easier? If he’s awake then he ought to be fighting against the...procedure.”

Theo shook his head again. “No. It’s no fun if they don’t scream.”

_Jesus Theo._ That got everyone to stare at him.

“This?” Theo pointed to the mangled mess in the man’s chest. “This is a product of a woman who punishes others so she can feel more secure about things outside her control. She wanted him to suffer, and that means him sitting through every traumatic, horrifying second, even if it makes things more difficult for her. It’s not a breathing tube.”

He pointed to a tiny dot on his neck. “I’m also willing to bet this was a needle mark; she probably injected him with adrenaline to keep him awake.”

Deaton paused his wide-eyed staring to flick through a folder with the words ‘coroner report’ stamped on the front in big bold letters. Thank god the new coroner was friends with Deaton and was actually aware of the supernatural, or else all the wrong kinds of people would be interested in this case.

“It appears Mr. Raeken is right about the adrenaline. That still doesn’t prove your theory about the oxygen tube.”

Liam watched as Theo kept his face from contorting in frustration. “Its a feeding tube. Trust me.”

“Are you sure it’s not an oxygen tube, Theo?” Mason asked, not noticing how agitated he was.

Theo’s bottom lip curled. “I don’t know how much House MD teaches you, but inserting these tubes probably required several hours of surgery. Even when operating on a werewolf, you have to keep them alive while accessing their organs. Marks on his wrist are consistent with IV’s, and they probably used this tube to feed him during and after the process.”

Liam really didn’t not want to picture how Theo came across this information.

Only Brett was brave enough to ask, “And you know this because?”

Theo scowled. “How I know doesn’t matter right now. Just trust me when I say it’s a feeding tube, and let’s move on.”

Liam frowned at Theo. What was with this attitude? He was usual never this snappy. Theo was always calm, cool, and collected, but right now he was tense as all get out. If they argued with him about the tube one more time, Liam was half afraid he was going to snap at them.

Nolan put a hand on Theo’s shoulder—something that he did all the time, which made Liam bristle for unknown reasons—making him relax a smidge. “You said you had a theory. Wanna share with the class?”

Thankfully, his tone was a lot less patronizing then the sentence sounded.

Theo let out a huff, but begrudgingly pointed to a small opening in the stomach. Picking back up the scalpel, Theo made a large cut across the top.

“Look at the black speckles on the inner lining.”

Liam really wished he didn’t have to look at a dead man’s body any more than he already had, but he humored Theo and looked. “All I see are little black dots. Some kind of bacteria?”

The appreciative look in Theo’s eyes made his chest ache in ways Liam did not feel like addressing. “If you notice, it’s the same dust that’s on the inside of the feeding tube.”

Sure enough, he was right. “So, what does that mean?” Deaton asked.

For the first time since entering into the clinic, Theo smirked. “It’s means...”

Before Brett could protest, Theo grabbed his arm and brought it to the man’s stomach. Or at least, he tried. Brett’s hand bounced away from the body like he hit a force field.

“Mountain Ash,” Deaton mumbled in shock.

Brett and Liam stepped back at the same time, Liam’s hands unconsciously protecting his stomach. _Christ._ Liam couldn’t imagine how painful that must have been.

Theo nodded grimly. “I know half of the tubes are severed or dislodged, but the entry and exit points form a circle through the organs. Werewolves can be trapped in or out of these lines, but to have a Mountain Ash circle inside you? It’s splits your cells apart, containing certain bodily functions to one area. That stopes blood flow, even neural transmissions. This a fate worse than death.”

Liam did not think it was physically possible to hate her any more than he already did, but here he was. Nolan looked like he was going to be sick.

After that horrifying discovery, Deaton released them to go cool off, asking them to take the night off from worrying about Monroe. Judging by Brett and Nolan’s faces, that wasn’t going to be happening. As they went to leave, Deaton quickly pulled Theo aside to say something.

Over Mason and Corey freaking out over how disgusting today had been, Liam faintly catches, _If_ _this bothers you, I won’t make you sit through something like this again. I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you._

_Relax, Deaton. I did this kinda stuff for years; I’ve seen things ten times as horrifying as this before._

_That’s not what I’m saying. I understand you are turning over a new leaf, and here I am, dragging you back into it._

_I have skills, unconventional as they may be. If I can use them for good, well, that’s worth something._

Deaton was quiet for a second. _How’d you know it was a feeding tube and not an oxygen tube? The coroner and I would have never caught that if it wasn’t for your help._

Theo managed to chuckle, but there was no humor in his voice. _I’ve had experience with both, so don’t worry about it._

Liam pretended like he wasn’t watching Theo wave goodbye as he stood in the doorway. Over the sound of Mason’s engine staring up, Theo mumbled to himself, _I only wore a feeding tube for five years because it was easier than feeding me. But what do I know?_

Liam’s heart sunk into his stomach. So, that was why he was so defensive about it. Liam couldn't help but wince. As Theo walked back to him, Brett, and Nolan waiting for him to leave in the lobby, the other two boys completely engrossed in conversation, Liam found himself replaying his words over and over.

_It was easier than feeding me._

Somehow, that made Liam more sick than the dead body did.

Months later, Liam mustered the courage to ask him about it one night.

_Did you really wear a feeding tube for five years?_ Liam asked hesitantly, staring up at the ceiling fan, not able to look at Theo without picturing it himself.

Next to him, Theo tensed up. _I guess you heard that then_.

He paused before elaborating, _I was just a kid; they had other things to do than feed me. I mean, it wasn’t like my ten year old self could walk into a grocery store or a restaurant and buy food on my own without a concerned parent staring at me like they’re ten seconds away from calling CSP on my ass. They let me take it out once I could pass for sixteen. At least then, if someone asked, I was just being a good son, shopping for his mother when she couldn’t herself._

Another pause. _And besides, I was under the knife a lot as a kid, keeping it in permanently was just easier for everyone._

Easier for them, he meant.

There were many things on the list that made Liam’s blood boil. This being one of the worse ones.

Not all of them were bad per say, take the ‘Danish incident’ for example. Liam would tell his kids that story if he didn’t need to provide the horrifying backstory that made that event funny in the first place. Even Mason and Corey found the story hilarious, and they weren’t Theo’s biggest fans. They hung out with him and got along just fine, but the ghosts of Josh and Tracy hung over Theo, preventing them from getting too close.

The list, now folded up in Liam’s jean pocket, was a constant reminded that Josh and Tracy’s killer was not the Theo Raeken he knew so well.

Liam frowned to himself. If he was gonna pull this off successfully, he was going to need back up. Immediately, Liam pulled out his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart, for better or for worse.

After two rings, a voice answered, “What’s up, short stack.”

“Fuck you, Brett. I need a favor.”

Liam could practically feel Brett’s haughty smile radiating through the phone. “Oh? What for?”

“It’s about Theo.” That got him to stop posturing.

“I’ll be over in ten.”

That night, lying next to Theo in his bedroom, he asked why he was smiling so much. Liam mumbled off an excuse knowing full and well Theo caught his lie before he even uttered the words (see bullet point five, aka the ‘bomb hidden in his liver’ situation for further explanation).

This was going to work. He’d get them to see what he saw. Liam didn’t need them to love the guy, he just wanted them to understand.

With Theo’s shallow breathing beside him to keep him calm, Liam never felt more at home. A part of Liam hoped that if the others understood what happened to him wasn’t so black and white, then maybe Theo himself would get it too.

His guilt was gonna get him killed, and we’ll, for the first time in a long time, if he was being completely honest with himself, it’d kill him too.

This was gonna work; it had to. Because Liam didn’t know what he was going to do if it didn’t.


	3. Theo Raeken: Poker Extraordinaire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back from my trip to Disney with a new chapter! This one is much more light hearted and very fun to write. Hope you enjoy!

Theo was a man of many hidden talents. For someone as obnoxiously cocky as he was, Theo kept his skills to himself. When Liam first started getting used to having Theo as a permanent staple in his life, he would've assumed it was because he wanted to have the upper hand. Nowadays...well, Liam knew that asking for backstory on many details of his life was like asking for a single quote and getting a novel in return.

A lot of the times, asking questions backfired (take Theo's endless knowledge about pregnancy for example—that’s on his list too. Liam never regretted asking a question more in his life, and he's admittedly asked some pretty dumb things. Theo warned them over and over again not to ask, but being the idiot he was, foolishly did anyways. The mental image haunted him to this day).

Sometimes getting to answers, no matter how much you wanted them, only offered up more questions. Liam recalled being trapped in a room with Mason and Theo a few months back. Picking a movie to watch with Mason was always a chore. Mason was his best friend, there was no doubting that, but he sure was picky. After siting through Mason's werewolf themed, shitty supernatural movie marathon where he'd constantly ask questions like _why can't you do that?,_ Liam was determined to only watch movies both of them could enjoy from then on out.

It was Thursday that night, which meant Theo was over for dinner. It had gone incredibly well; Theo knew exactly how to put on his charisma and charm the pants off his parents every week. Mason wanted to hang out, but when Liam's mom insisted that Theo stay the night, he and Mason's bro night just begrudgingly found a new member.

Liam in the recliner, Mason sprawled out on the couch, and Theo awkwardly sitting on the edge of the loveseat like he was about to make a run for it, the three of them tried to come to a movie agreement.

_I say Star Trek._

_I'm not watching Star Trek again, Mason._

_I'm also down for something of the Star Wars variety._

_Dude, you always wanna watch Star Wars_

_And I'll stop watching once it stops being awesome._

Noticing how the third member in the room hadn't offered up a single suggestion, Liam decided to, for one of the few times in his life, extend the olive branch. _What about you, Theo? You wanna watch Star Wars?_

He was silent, like he hadn't expected his opinion to matter. Then, almost like he admitting a secret, _Haven't seen it._

Mason gasped like a man in desperate for air. _Seriously? What is it with people in this town not seeing a cult classic? First Liam and Scott, now you?_

_As much as I would love to sit through a Star Wars marathon, lets save that for another time. What about Age of Ultron or Civil War? I'm like eighty percent sure I have that on blue ray._

Liam would never forget Theo's face of genuine confusion, like he didn’t understand a single word coming out of his mouth. It was rare that Theo was caught off guard, but instead of feeling pride, all Liam felt was empty. _Age of Ultron? Civil War? I haven't heard of those. Are those some of your documentaries you like to watch when you pretend to be studying for history?_

Ignoring the subtle dig, Mason gasped again. _You haven't heard of the Avengers movie?_

_...I read a few comics as a kid, but movies?_

Even Liam couldn’t help but ask, _You know, like, the MCU?_

Theo shook his head.

_Dude, have you been living under a rock for the last ten year? How is it possible you're eighteen and you don’t know what the MCU is?_

Theo's face fought from contorting, something Liam found he did often. _I may have not lived under a rock, but I did live in sewers, abandoned tunnels, and underground operating theaters for the last ten years._ Looking at Mason's surprised face, he scoffed, though unable to hide the faint chemo-signal of embarrassment from Liam. _I was lucky if I got sent to pick up another bottle of bleach. Movies were kinda out of the question._

So, that’s when Liam took note that Theo probably hasn’t been to the movies since he was eight. That one wasn't on the list, because while that is sad, it wasn't exactly traumatic and awful kind of thing that would lead someone to be the monster pre-hell Theo was. Liam knew deep in his heart that everything thing he did back then was out of fear, fear of failure, fear of never being free, fear of things outside of his control.

The whole hunter fiasco taught him fear was a powerful tool, and it led people to do things they never though they were capable of, Nolan being a prime example. The Theo that sat awkwardly on the very edge of the loveseat, probably not even able to allow himself to get comfortable, was still scared. He hated letting people see that side of him, but Liam noticed. If dating a girl like Hayden taught him literally anything, it was to pay attention, because oftentimes, once you realize you should've, it's too late.

So, Liam payed attention to Theo, knowing no one else would, at least not in the same way he was. That was why little things like knowing Theo hadn't seen a movie in a decade made Liam understand why Theo never brought up movies or entertainment in general. Whenever the others would come over, Liam always made sure to avoid another scenario like the movie picking fiasco going down.

This very thing led to learning a new talent of Theo's. Liam assumed that because he never watched movies or TV (dude didn’t even know what Netflix was, and for as smart as he was, Theo could barely operate a smartphone) that the same logic could be applied to board games. By god, was he wrong.

Uno? Theo was absolutely ruthless when it came to Draw Four. Monopoly? How he managed to buy and put hotels on half the board, no one knew. Clue? Give him twenty minutes, and he'd answer correctly on the first try. Scrabble? Half the time even Mason had to google whatever obscure word Theo conjured up. Hell, even Cards Against Humanity. He tailored each response to the individual judge's humor taste and had everyone dying of laughter while at it. Liam had yet to find a game he wasn't good at.

For getting a one hundred on his AP Bio exam, (something impossible without Theo, no matter how much it pained Liam to admit) his mom bought him a poker set and roll out matt with plenty of spaces for his friends to play with. Liam had played poker before—it was a good way to bond with his dad when he first married his mom, only to later realize that Liam was interested in Lacrosse and helped him to make first line at Devenford. He might not have played poker in a while, but he liked to say he was never the first out.

Liam's mother adored Theo, and before Liam could protest, invited Theo to join Liam's mini poker tournament the next day. The only reason he didn’t invite him was because Scott, Stiles, and Malia were back in town and planned on joining in. While most of Liam's friends dealt with Theo all the time and were used to his mannerisms and dry humor, the others were not so fond of him. At first, he called Mason in a panic, but Mason, albeit begrudgingly, admitted that Theo wasn’t so bad these days, and if him mom was gonna keep inviting him over, the others needed to get used to Theo being around his house all the time.

It wasn’t actually an issue when they showed up. Liam doubted they noticed Theo sitting at in his favorite spot near the back door. No one mentioned it when they gathered around the table, and he cautiously sank down in the chair between him and Brett.

Five rounds in, Liam noticed a pattern. Every other hand, Theo would fold in the third wave, or he'd immediate fold after the flop. This immediately got Liam's attention. Not only was Theo one competitive motherfucker, (dude had to win every game they played like he was gonna die if he lost) but he excelled at this type of stuff. Liam would take a bet he'd never played poker before, but something felt wrong about it.

Liam took careful watch of Theo's expression—or rather lack thereof—and really focused in on his chemo-signals. No matter how well he could mask it, Liam caught a faint linger of bemusement. Liam had to stop himself from saying something. An outsider looking into their world might say Theo looked royally pissed, or at the very least annoyed at the game. Why would he pretend otherwise?

After Theo folded in yet another round, Stiles threw his cards down on the table and snatched Theo's discarded cards before they could be whisked away into the deck. He flipped them over for the table to see. Trip queens. How Theo remained in control, Liam had no idea.

"Dude, why the hell haven't you been betting? I know for a fact you've had the winning hand but you don't play them, not once. Might as well not be playing if you fold every round."

Theo just narrowed his eyes at the accusation. "Might as well not be playing if you're counting cards."

Liam almost laughed at the way Stiles' face scrunched up. "I wouldn't have to count cards if you'd actually play."

Liam found that one hard to believe, but added, "Dude, it's no fun if you keep letting yourself lose all the time."

Whether Liam meant that in the context of this scenario or in Theo's life after death as a whole, that was for Theo to interpret. 

Theo fought down a scowl as the whole table started at him. "It's not that I don't wanna play, it's just not fair for the rest of you."

All eyebrows went up. "I'm sorry, it's not _fair_?"

Theo let out a sigh, resigned to his fate. "Well, considering my history of lying and manipulation, I figured it was best not to advertise."

Touché.

Stiles' frown deepened. "We beat you before when you were at the top of your game. I think we can handle a game of poker."

Brave words for someone who hasn’t lost to Theo in twenty-seven consecutive rounds of _ERS._

Only after exchanging an encouraging nod between Liam and Brett, he settled for, "Fine. But down say I didn’t warn you."

The whole game, Theo had been quiet and well-mannered with no emotion on his face. Like a switch was flipped, he broke out into his signature, pre-hell smirk. Oh shit. Liam had zero doubt Theo was going to make Stiles eat his words. When that smirk came out to play, nothing good ever happened. Last time he saw that was during one particularly nasty round of slapjack where Theo got so good at predicting the jacks that he nearly broke Liam's hand to win the game. 

Low and behold, in a matter of hands—some Theo didn’t even win—Stiles, Malia, and Mason were cleaned out. Liam and Corey folded nearly every round because it wasn't worth it to go up against Theo and his insane betting plays. No matter how many times he won, Liam couldn’t tell if he was bluffing or not, and he liked to say that he knew Theo pretty well. He even masked his chemo-signals, making sure no one really knew what was going on in his head.

Scott tried to make a valiant comeback, but inevitably had to concede the round to Theo. Brett had seen death and was not afraid to go up against Theo's patented dick measuring contest with the betting chips, but every time he assumed he had Theo beat, he'd just smile and lay his winning hand on the table. If Liam wasn't used to Theo winning every game they played, he'd be as awed as the others.

Mason and Stiles would try to call out what they thought Theo had to help the rest of the table—card counting rule be damned—but it did nothing to stop his poker rampage across the table. As Liam knew from the second that smirk appeared, Theo wiped the floor with confidant ease. Even if he lost a round, it was like he planned on losing it anyways, much to everyone's annoyance.

Liam sighed as he folded another around. He was steadily drained of his chips as the rounds went by, losing three times as fast as he won. Thankfully, all of Theo's attention was focused on wiping Scott of the table, and Liam was safe from his warpath for now.

Inevitably, he or Brett would be next, and Theo would clean them out before they could protest. Liam knew that sometimes Theo would let him win when they played other games before. He’d never admit it, but even Theo was merciful after winning twelve straight rounds. 

By the time the game ended, Theo was leaning back in his chair with a causal smile, like several dozen betting chips weren’t stacked in piles, forming a miniature city of poker chips. Everyone glared at him, but he just shrugged.

“I told you it wasn’t fair for me to play.”

“You’re the best lairs I’ve ever seen, and that is saying something. I thought you were just posturing like good-old Theo does.” Out of all of them, Stiles was taking the crushing blow to their egos the worst.

His amused shrug gave nothing away. “Even a broken clock is right twice a day. The best liars always tell the truth.”

That elicited several unintelligible grumbles from everyone. Stiles didn’t give up quite yet. “Oh, just you wait till Lydia gets back. She’ll make you wish you lost today.”

Two weeks later, Lydia did come back in town, and Stiles convinced her to reclaim some of lost dignity, but it ended the same way the first went. Theo beat her, no cheating involved. And when Derek came to town a week later, he too was sent by the others to test Theo’s uncanny poker abilities. He got slaughtered, and Peter joined the losers table shortly after. The news of Theo’s ridiculous poker skills got tested yet again by Mrs. McCall. When she lost, and when Liam says lost, he meant got annihilated, the Sheriff and Argent challenged him too. Liam warned every new competitor against it, but now it was a hit to their pride. When both the Sheriff and Argent struck out, Liam thought Stiles was going to have an aneurism.

They tried everything to prove he was cheating or could read their minds, but at every attempt to discredit him, Theo still came out clean. Eventually, when no one could break his winning streak, poker was forgotten, or rather, Liam wasn’t invited because if he knew, then Theo knew.

Liam’s mom all but forced Theo to spend the night (she even referred to their guest bedroom as Theo’s room nowadays). The two of the were playing Halo in his bedroom, and when was inevitably killed via headshot, he put his controller down onto the rug.

Theo faltered for a second at Liam’s intense gaze falling upon him. “Something wrong?”

Theo couldn’t hide the flash of panic underneath his sarcasm from Liam. “Why don’t you just lose the poker game? Why you always gotta win? For a kid who spent half of his time in sewers, you’re freakishly good at games.”

Theo looked like he was swallowing cardboard, like this was the last question he wanted to be asked. “What, a guy can’t have hobbies?”

Liam shot him an unimpressed look. “I’m being serious Theo.”

Theo went to chew at his lip, but noticed he wasn’t joking and reluctantly let it go. "Look. While you were playing at the park, going to beach, or taking trips to Disney, I trained in battle strategy, medical procedures, how to lie, manipulate, and kill. I was raised to always win because failure meant termination. Last time I lost—I died. I'm not losing again, not even for a stupid poker game."

Liam fell quiet again. _Failure meant termination._

How did he even respond to that? Did that mean the doctors would kill him if failed them? God, how _sick_ was that. Thinking back on any time he's been in any form of competition against Theo, he'd always win like he would die if he didn't. Liam's fingers furled into fist. He may not know much about psychology, but he did know that growing up thinking that if you messed up, your parents would actually murder you—especially when no one would probably find your body or even know you're dead—fucks you up momentously.

Liam was beyond words. He was a guy that wanted to help people, it was probably one of his fatal flaws. He'd risk it all—getting the ghost riders to go after him and not Scott and going to Mexico to fight Kate were just a few examples of how self-preservation flew out the window when someone who he cared about life was on the line. Liam always told himself that Theo deserved whatever happened to him, but doubt started to slip through the cracks of the morale armor Scott and Stiles practically created. When Liam got to the very bottom of what emotion he felt, guilt and pity was not what he was expecting.

Even thinking about the Dread Doctors made him want to punch a hole through his wall, smash some windows, break anything and everything. Liam genuinely felt _bad_ for the guy. It'd only been a little while after the end of the war, but siting there on his basement, Theo's arm barely grazing him with the faint glare from the TV catching his eye, something shifted between him and Theo.

The next time Theo came over, he didn’t hesitate to ask his to move in. His mom had been hinting at it for weeks now, but Liam could never bring himself to say yes. Theo was homeless, and for some reason, that made him beyond mad now. Theo really didn’t have anyone. Now he'd have him. Liam still didn't know how to explain to Mason why he now lived with Theo—it just kinda happened.

He wasn’t out of guilty or pity though, it was because he actually wanted the best for him (not that Theo needed to know that). Liam had no idea why his life seemed to be revolved around Theo now, but the usual rage he felt when his mind drifted to the chimera seemed to dissipate in his chest. It wasn’t until that first night Theo slept in the guest bedroom next to him that Liam first heard him whisper and scream in his sleep. That night, tossing and turning in fleeting bouts of sleep, Liam first begun to wonder if Theo was more of a victim than an accomplice to the Dread Doctors.

That thought kept him up on more nights than he’d like to admit, but Theo would always be the man that holds a thousand secrets in his eyes.

Though, one early Saturday morning when the two of them were making breakfast, Theo set down his spatula on the counter and said, _I never really told you why I’m so good at poker._

Liam paused mixing the pancake batter to stare at him. _You didn’t. But you don’t have to._

Theo’s eyes were so impossibly green when the morning sun caught them. _I…I need to tell someone. Mason brought up the poker thing last week, and all I keep think was I wish I told someone, wish I told you._

If Theo noticed the way Liam’s heart jumped at _wish I told you_ , he didn’t say anything. _If you want someone to listen, I will._

And listen he did. Theo calmly recalled his story as they finished making pancakes. While it only made his rage for the Dread Doctors double, Liam couldn't help but feel special.

No one knew anything about Theo’s past that mattered. Except for him. And for that, he smiled.


	4. Honey, I sunk your battleship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry, it's been a fat minute since I've updated, but that college life is HECTIC. my midterms are finally over so I had some spare time on my hands to write. I do fully intend to continue writing this story, it just might not be the speediest of updates. 
> 
> to each and every person who comments, my eyes light up at each new email I get saying I have received a new comment. it's y'all who give me the motivation to finish this fic of mine. I love y'all to death <3
> 
> general note: there is frequent timeline jumping around because non-linear timelines are my jam, so if at any point you are confused, leave a comment and I will fix that shit!! I switch between italics and quotations at every new conversation to make it a little less confusing (I hope)  
> there is also a few f-bombs but nothing gratuitous 
> 
> I am catching new errors every time I read, so if you look back and realize something is fixed, I swear you aren't crazy, it's just me! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy, and as always, please feel free to comment your fav part, line, something that made you laugh, or made you feel an emotion of any kind!! I love to hear from you guys!!

Brett Talbot was an absolute pain in Liam’s ass ninety percent of the time, but he was damn sure reliable. Liam hardly needed to explain what he needed help with before he agreed to do whatever Liam asked for. Then again, when Theo was involved, Brett would never say no. He may bitch about it, but he would do anything short of killing a man if Theo asked. Liam hated that—it wasn’t like Theo would take advantage of that fact, but yet it still made him unsettled.

Liam never talked about it anymore, but losing Brett and Lori during the war monumentally fucked him up. He lived with that pain, that guilt, every day. He’d never forget how it felt when Gabe shot the arrow with the green and white number seven, a macabre trophy from killing Brett, into the police station. Even recalling the memory made his fist clench involuntarily.

He remembered arguing with Theo over Brett in the back room, Theo reading him so well even back then. That whole night was charged, the life or death circumstances amping every interaction up with fear and anger. If he could go back, he’d do things differently (though he wasn’t sure if he’d punch Theo again. In retrospect, it was fun to laugh about). He wished things that night didn’t end the way they did, that those two wolves, no matter what their crimes really were, didn’t end up dead. Like Brett. Like Lori.

Liam had to stand over their dead bodies in that intersection, eyes wide with anger, hate, and misery. He also stood with wide eyes when they walked through his back door again.

Liam had no idea how on earth they were even alive, but he was positive Theo had something to do with it. No one ever explained how they were brought back. Every time went to ask, the words died in his throat. Scott never got back anyone he wanted back. Why did Liam get to have his failure saved and not him? He’d heard all the stories—Allison, Erica, Boyd, Aiden. They deserved to come back like Brett and Lori did. Scott never said anything, but Liam knew every time he saw Brett and Lori, he thought of Allison. 

Liam couldn’t help but feel guilty later, but in the moment? Nothing but pure relief.

It was only three weeks after the war, and things were still a complete mess. Guns were still being seized by the sheriff’s office, and murder charges were slowly being entered into the legal system. Liam and the other supernaturals still were avoided like the plague at school once it reopened, but Scott thought it was out of shame rather than disgust. Liam wasn’t sure which he preferred.

Scott and the others still tracked down Monroe and her followers with no avail, but for the first time since the battle, Liam felt like things had come back to the middle. Regression to the mean, as Scott would put it.

That all changed with a knock on his back door. Standing behind the glass pane was two very familiar outlines.

Liam shot up from his chair, his legs threatening to give out from under him. How was this possible? Was this some sort of wolfsbane induced hallucination? The cup in his hand dropped to the floor with a loud clang.

Standing in his kitchen doorway was a healthy, smiling Brett and Lori Talbot.

Without even bothering to see if he was being tricked, Liam surged to open the door and nearly tore it off its hinges by accident. His breath came in short, uneven puffs as he waited for his eyes to betray him, for their silhouettes to disappear in the afternoon breeze.

He tried to say something, anything, but words eluded him.

Brett tried (and failed) to repress a smirk at Liam’s eagerness, but his eyes told a different story. “Looks like you’re still a dumbass, Dunbar.”

Liam only managed unintelligible sounds as Brett and Lori stepped through the door frame. Swallowing whatever doubts he may have, Liam lifted a shaky hand and reached out for Brett. His smirk softened into a sad smile as Liam felt the heat of Brett’s skin underneath his fingertips.

Air seemed intangible. They were _real_. They were _here._ “You…how…”

Lori managed a chuckle and wrapped her brother and Liam into a hug. Liam’s arms circled their waist, holding on to them for dear life. Brett’s skin was warm, radiating life. Lori’s thin blond hair, clean of blood and grime like that last time he saw her, tangled up in Liam’s hand, but he didn’t care. After imagining what he’d say to the both of them if he got the chance, he remained speechless.

Liam desperately wanted to say so many things. _I’m sorry I failed you, I never forgot what happened, I’m sorry, I’m sorry for dragging the both of you into my mess, I’m sorry for everything, I wish it had happened differently._ He said none of them.

His other hand clenched around the supple fabric of Brett’s tee shirt. Liam relished the way Brett’s lungs filled with air, no longer labored with an underlying wince like last time. _They were alive._ That was all that mattered.

And _that_ was why he never asked how that happened, partly because if he asked, Liam was half afraid that whatever miracle brought them here would take them away again. Like speaking about it would rip the dream away from him. So, he didn’t. They never tried to explain themselves, and no one ever offered an explanation.

The weird part wasn’t that they were back—that was something he promised himself he’d never take advantage of ever again—the weird part was how attached to Theo they were. It could be unsettling at times. Liam had no idea how they met, but the acted like they were lifelong friends. Whenever standing in the same room, Brett would subconsciously drift until he stood at Theo’s side. The two seemed to gravitate towards the other, no matter the situation. At any group hang out, if one was there, the other wasn’t too far. Even Scott and the others noticed.

Scott pulled him aside one afternoon and asked, _why are Brett and Theo attached to the hip?_

Liam was dreading that question. Ever since Stiles got this specific _look_ on his face at dinner the night before, he knew it was inevitable. _Not sure. I’d ask, but do you really think that either of them would give a straight answer?_

Scott shook his head. _Tell me about it. Dealing with Theo’s attitude is painful enough but with Brett? Even asking a basic question is like begging to get sassed._

Didn’t Liam know it. If putting up with Theo alone was a nightmare, both him and Brett’s jackass solidarity was hellish. _Like, I’m glad Theo made a friend besides me, but their friendship is gonna make me go insane. Brett and Theo are insufferable on their own, much less put together._

_Stiles is going mad theorizing how they got so close, but he’s coming up empty, you wouldn’t know anything, would you?_

Liam didn’t like Scott’s accusatory tone there. _Just because Theo hates me the least doesn’t mean he tells me everything._

Scott raised an eyebrow. _Why do you two still hang out? Brett, I get, but Theo?_

_Theo may be…complicated but he’s not that, that bad. At least when you, Stiles, or Malia aren’t around. He’s less of a dick when he’s alone or with Brett._

_You hang out with Theo alone?_

Liam despised how he was so quick to defend Theo. He should hate the guy—he was a killer. But…he also saved his life more times than he’d care to admit. Liam knew deep down, no matter how far he pushed down the memory of that night at the hospital, Theo took a bullet for him. Theo Raeken, the most self-serving bastard he knew, put Liam’s life above his own. It bothered him to no end that Theo kept finding a way to stay on his mind; it bothered him that he couldn’t see things as black and white as Scott and Stiles did.

No matter how easy Stiles made it look, it wasn’t like he could cut Theo out completely. Brett coming back meant that he and Theo were a package deal, so Theo would never be out of his life as long as he kept Brett. And after losing him and Lori the way he did, that was never going to happen.

So, Theo was a permeant fixture of his day to day life via Brett. He was still undecided how he felt about that. But having Theo around meant inviting him to game night. Mason couldn’t fathom why Liam cared about not hurting his feelings by leaving him out, but he just did. He felt like an asshole for some reason, and Liam _knew_ he had no problem being a jerk.

Game night used to be a normal event; it was something he, Hayden, Mason and Corey did when things weren’t apeshit in the supernatural world. Game night used to be simple, easy even. A few rounds of Uno here, a round of cards there, and an hour of monopoly before Liam flipped the board over. Then Theo joined. Later in the year when Liam would get that life-altering poker set, he would understand that him joining game night was only a preface to Theo’s title of reigning card game champion. But back then? They were fools, still ignorant to Theo’s unmatchable skills.

And to think Liam tried to protect him from embarrassment. He, foolishly, thought that Theo may have never had a game night, at least not in ten years. He didn’t want a repeat of the oh so awkward ‘Theo should pick a movie’ incident. So, he thought he’d let Theo wave him off and watch them play around before he joined. In hindsight, Theo’s smirk really should have the first indicator that death was imminent.

Brett, since it was his first game night, got to choose the game. He picked Clue. Liam was thankful at the time because Clue was a pretty easy game to learn and play even for newbies like Theo. They spread out the board and different pieces—Liam loved Miss Scarlet, okay? He would not be judged for that. Professor Plum was reserved Mason and Corey (something about him being a gay icon? Liam didn’t get it but didn’t argue). Brett took Miss Peacock because “screw your preconceived gender notions” (his words, not Liam’s), while Theo, albeit dutifully, settled for Mr. Green.

Liam went to explain the rules, but Theo shrugged him off, claiming he knew. Liam arched a brow but didn’t contest while he shuffled the different decks. Liam, before Theo and Brett arrived at his house, asked Corey and Mason to go easy on Theo, given that he was probably years out of practice. This, as Liam now knew, would unceremoniously backfire on him.

By the end of the game, not even twenty minutes in because Theo was some sort of prediction god, Liam’s mouth perpetually hung wide open. Theo, who was kind of awkwardly shy post-war now that he wasn’t a part-time serial killer, suddenly oozed confidence and radiated charm as he asked a handful of pointed questions at the appropriate times. His lips—why was Liam always looking at his mouth again?—curled into a smirk that promised danger as he announced he had the answer.

They, at the time, had scoffed and laughed at the notion Theo could possibly have the answer already. Each time they entertained the idea he was right, he proved them wrong each and every time. Liam couldn’t help but be amazed. They checked to see if he was cheating like they would do later with the poker incident, but he would simply smile with ease and say _why would I cheat when I’m just that good?_

He was a little melodramatic, but then again, that was just Theo. Everything was a performance to him, keeping up a cool and collected front to hide how terrified he was. This was something Liam kept in the back of his mind each time they hosted game night. It was why he never pushed the poker incident so hard later down the line.

Theo didn’t always show off though. He was frustratingly less confident whenever the older ones joined in, given they were all back in town.

Liam was plenty used to curbing his desire to break things when he was paired with Theo, but not for the reasons Scott and Stiles might think. Imagine being on a trivia team with Steven Hawking and watch him purposely let someone answer before him. Theo, for all his faults, was really smart (just take the Bio situation for example. Theo could take his AP test blindfolded with his hands tied behind his back and still get a perfect score of five). He was incredible talented, but would never, ever show just how smart he really was. It was like Theo _wanted_ the others to underestimate him. Mason, Corey, Nolan, Brett, and Lori knew better of course, but it was some unspoken rule: no one talk about how Theo was great at any task you give him unless Scott and Stiles were around.

Again, Liam had two thoughts on the matter. One: Theo should feel like he’s allowed to show off in front of the older members. There was no reason he should hold himself back for the sake of their egos. Two: _why the fuck did he care so much that the rest of the pack saw how talented Theo was?_ Sure, Liam felt responsible for the guy, he did bring him back from the dead after all, but making sure he didn’t hurt anybody and making sure he had fun at game night were not under the same umbrella. Even Mason was starting to wonder why his thoughts seemed to solely consist of _Theo, Theo, Theo._

Liam, as per usual, ignored that and tried to go about life not thinking of Theo. Liam, as per usual, failed.

Liam worried at his lower lips, desperately trying to cast out any though of Theo, which was impossible with him on the other side of board. Why Liam entertained Theo at a game of Battleship was beyond him. Liam was well aware his defeat was inevitable, but when he challenged him, like he could say no. With only one ship remaining and only three hits on Theo, Liam knew it was only a matter of rounds before he cried mercy. It wouldn’t help his odds of winning, but maybe his loss wouldn’t be so pathetic if he could concentrate on something other than _Theo._

Theo this, Theo that. Why did everything in his life go back to him? And why did it bother him so much, yet he couldn’t find it in him to do anything about it? Everything about Theo Raeken should make his blood boil, but the anger that used to simmer under his skin when the chimera came up was long gone. Stiles once asked how often he punched Theo, and it struck him that the two of the hadn’t exchanged a broken nose in a while. The urge to punch something—usually the nearest wall—always seemed to dissipate when Theo was around, and he wasn’t ready to analyze that quite yet.

Liam couldn’t understand how he could hate someone that he never wanted to leave. God, the thought of Theo running far, far away from this town made his eye twitch. In his head, it would make sense for Theo to get the hell out of dodge, but Liam was ninety percent sure he’d lose it if he up and left. _Why, why, why? Why did everything come back to Theo Raeken?_

“What you thinking about so hard over there, little wolf?”

Another thing. The _nicknames._ If someone besides Theo called him that, Liam knew deep down that his reaction would be none too pleasant. For some reason, it made him feel _special._ Even knowing that about himself made Liam want to rip out his own hair. _Theo, Theo, Theo._

“Just on how to make my comeback. I would prepare yourself.”

He just snorted. “Do your worst. B3.”

B3 sat smack dab, right in the middle of his last ship.

“I hate you.”

“I know.”

His inability to think about something other than Theo only got worse from then on out. Between the game night, poker, him moving in, Theo was a constant section of his thought process. Whether it was worrying about him when he was at school, or swinging by the animal clinic to see him during his shift, Theo remained an all-consuming thought of his.

Things changed when the list started. At least then he had an excuse to think about him all the time. He was worried for the guy. Sue him for being a decent person. The only person that didn’t give him shit about his odd relationship with Theo was Brett. In fact, Brett actually _thanked_ him for keeping Theo around.

_Theo says he lives at your place now. I know he can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but…thank you. You didn’t have to, but you did. Means a lot, Dunbar._

Liam did his best to keep from gaping. Brett wasn’t one for apologies. _He pretty much lived here before, but now it’s official and all. I’m just glad he’s not sleeping in his truck anymore. I’m sure all the deputies are happy about it too now that they do have to keep making him move his truck every night._

_I could give less of a shit about those dicks, what I care about is Theo’s safety._

At the time, Liam didn’t get why it meant so much to Brett. Six months later, he did.

Theo was at work that fateful afternoon, and since Mason and Corey were out on a date while Nolan was MIA, probably lost in pile of homework, only Brett was able to come over for a round of GTA. It was a miracle Lori even let him out of the house—Brett had three piles of unfolded laundry and a sink full of dirty dishes, but since it was Friday, and he was finally off of work, she gave him a pass. If she wasn’t working a double shift that night, Liam had no doubt she’d come and kick both of their asses on the PlayStation. She wasn’t Theo or Nolan level good, but she used her wolf advantages far better than the two of them did. 

Before they could even turn on the TV, Brett paused at the bookshelf by the basement door. He picked up the black picture frame and quarter turned to face Liam.

“Is this…?” Brett asked, pointing to the smiling photo of Liam and Theo sitting at the Dunbar dining table. Neither of them were looking at the camera, both of them mid-laugh at something silly Liam said, uneaten cake sitting on flimsy plastic plates by their hands.

Liam stuck a hand in his hair, giving a half laugh. “From the six months party? Yeah, my mom took it when we weren’t paying attention and got it framed as a way to commemorate the day. She’s been obsessed with making sure there is photos of Theo around the house ever since she realized there were none. She’ll take any opportunity to get more photos to frame.”

Theo even had a spot on his mantle, his print-out diploma from online high school right behind a photo of Theo smiling out of the corner of his mouth next to Liam’s dad, both of them covered in grease from working on Theo’s truck. Liam would never forget the look on Theo’s face when he saw the mantle. He’d never admit it, but that photo above the fireplace meant more to Theo than his truck did. Liam thought his mom was being ridiculous every time she made them pose together, but Theo’s small smile when he would pass the two of them, forever immortalized by a Pier One Imports picture frame made every awkward impromptu photoshoot worth it.

Brett went quiet, staring at picture with a small smile. After a few beats of silence, “He deserves this, you know. More than anyone.”

Brett met his eyes, some unknown emotion swimming around his irises in the low light of Liam's basement. “Thank you. For giving this to him.”

“Well, Theo’s family. Conventional family or not, everyone in the Dunbar house gets awful photos of themselves framed and obnoxiously displayed all over the house. It’s practically tradition.”

Brett tisked. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

A lump of emotion seemed to settle in the middle of Liam’s throat. “Oh. I mean, yeah. Theo’s been through more than any teenager should. He deserves a little normalcy.”

Brett hummed lowly, setting the picture frame back in its original place. “You can’t ever repeat this, but living in a real home, sleeping in a bed, being able to have adults who support you in life and do things like harass you for photos to put above the fireplace, this is the kinda shit that matters. After the fire, having a safe place to sleep was the dream. Lori and I got lucky, real lucky. At least we were old enough to take care of ourselves. Theo was eight when they came for him. After spending a decade going to sleep thinking it could be his last…he deserves this. Don’t give up on him, okay? Even if he gives up on himself, you can’t. Can you promise me that?”

The intensity in his voice made Liam stand up a little straighter. Theo was failed by life. Liam wouldn’t fail him too. “I promise.”

Brett would never give up on Theo, not ever. Whatever bonded them, it was stronger than any steel. That was why Liam could always count of him for help when it came to him.

Brett agreed to join Liam's little crusade to de-vilify Theo from the older pack's mind. Brett, once he dropped the sarcasm, suggested that the _bomb in the liver_ incident go after the poker incident for his list for his power point. And, yeah that made sense. The reason why Theo was so good at poker wasn’t _that_ depressing, but the next bullet point, thanks to Brett, would hit harder if their expectations on the sympathy meter started low. At least, Liam thought it would.

The story in itself wasn’t that sad. Theo wasn’t even mad about how he got so good at poker—that early morning making pancakes with him while he calmly explained his poker expertise was a good memory of Liam’s. One he cherished, but wasn’t sure he was ready to share it with the others.

_I actually had to train in card games._ The sunlight peeking through the windows made Theo's hair seem lighter, giving it a sun-kissed glow. A stray curl hung down his forehead as he leaved over the kitchen counter, a traitor to his ridiculous amount of hair gel. 

That surprised Liam _. Oh, really?_

He dipped is head in acknowledgement, stirring his pancake batter again. _I was expected to learn strategy and how to read body language. I was fourteen, I think. My years blur together a little bit, but I must have watched hundreds of hours of poker tournaments. I learned how to lie when I was younger, but analyzing strategy was much harder. I was handed a board game and expected to pick the game apart, figuring out the most efficient way to win without cheating._

_Huh. Not what I would have guessed._

_It was almost enjoyable at times. Card games, even card tricks, helped me get better at reading people and how to make them see what you wanna see. You can be the best liar out there, but if you can’t tell if someone’s pulling a trick on you, it’s worthless._

Theo tensed, suddenly quiet, now stirring with his spatula almost absentmindedly. _You would think after all that training, I would’ve realized…_

Liam could fill in the blanks. Deucalion’s double cross. Theo was supposed to be the ultimate strategist, but his downfall was not other’s blindness, but his own inability to see the truth. His failure still haunted him, even after almost year. Liam wished the past would let him go.

_You should’ve seen the look on my face though,_ Theo changed the subject, not even attempting subtlety. _When the Geneticist called me in from the examination room, I thought I was in serious trouble that time. l had definitely forgotten to clean the lab after working on some chemical compounds, and I was sure I was gonna get electrocuted again._

Theo laughed like it was funny or something, and it made Liam uncharacteristically want to give him a hug. _I’m totally ready to get chewed out when they drop a bunch of board games I haven’t seen since I was eight on the lab table. It took all of my self-preservation not to die of laughter when they demanded I train with them. I even got an old iPod to watch poker analysis videos on, so that was a plus._

Funny how he thought that was a plus side. _So, that’s what you did in your free time?_

Theo snorted. _Like I had free time. No, that was one of my assignments to complete or else. At least it wasn’t fucking Art of War or anything like that again. If I see that book, I’m burning it. The games and cards were a welcome reprieve. Sure, it was used for nefarious purposes, but hey. I could’ve learned in worse ways._

Liam did not have the brain power to put half of that in context _. So that’s why you slaughter us at poker? Because you trained to read people in the most backwards way possible?_

Theo managed a small smile, like they weren’t talking about his horrid childhood. _It comes in handy more than you’d think. Maybe you should try it sometimes. Maybe then you’d last a few extra rounds rather than folding all the time._

There was no heat in his words, just his usual play-fighting, almost teasing tone. Liam flicked pancake batter at him, a little speck landing on his forehead and cheek.

_I hate you._

_I know._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god, I hope all my timeline jumping made sense
> 
> I was going to include why Brett and Theo are best buds all of the sudden and why he isn't, you know, DEAD, but I think I'm going to save that hoe for later. however, if a few people really wanna know, I'll probably write that next chapter  
> if you happen to have any theories on Brett and Lori's revival, please drop a comment, I would love to hear it
> 
> some of the next few chapters will be a little later in the timeline, so y'all shall get to see Liam and Theo slowly falling for each other through the snit bit stories of the year they shared. it's odd going back and forth between fluff and Theo's god awful childhood, but hey. whatever works
> 
> thank y'all for reading!!!

**Author's Note:**

> well, you made it this far, so thank you! 
> 
> with love,  
> meetingmadness


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